A woman is dead after a house fire in the Eastern Bay of Plenty early today.
The fire service was called to the Howell Street property on the corner of the main road in Taneatua, 13km south of Whakatane, just after 4am, northern fire communications shift manager Colin Underdown said.
The house was well alight when fire crews arrived.
The woman's body was discovered once the blaze was under control.
About 20 locals were gathered around cordons surrounding the house, some were crying.
It was not known if there were others in the house.
Fire investigators would inspect the property today to determine the cause of the blaze.
- with APNZ